If you’re looking for an air purifier, you could be realizing that some brands are spouting lots of claims. And many of those claims may feel too good to be true. So, it’s only natural that you might be thinking are air purifiers a waste of money.

They’re worth it, according to the EPA, since they’re an excellent way to better your Cambridge residence’s indoor air quality. Today’s houses are solidly sealed and deeply insulated, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but not so fantastic for indoor air quality.

As updated houses don’t normally bring in as much fresh air as aging homes, pollutants like dust, pet dander and cleaning products can accumulate inside. The outcome? Air that’s more polluted than the outdoors, which is bad news if you have allergies, asthma or are vulnerable to respiratory irritation.

Our indoor air quality professionals at Pliescott HVAC Services LLC can help you cut through the clutter and choose the best home air purifier. Just give us a call at 410-228-4822 and we’ll be happy to provide support. In the meantime, discover more about how air purifiers operate, their perks and our advice to help you find the right air purifier.

How Does an Air Purification System Improve Indoor Air Quality?

Most home air purifiers have a fan to collect air. Then, the air passes through one or more filters to collect irritants before being redistributed.

These filters can have a charcoal filter, to remove odors, and a HEPA, or high efficiency particulate air, filter. A HEPA filter is at least 99.7% effective at capturing tiny particles down to .3 microns, like dust, pollen, mold and some bacteria.

An air purifier can be movable and used to treat an individual area. Or they can be installed inside your HVAC system, giving effective filtration for your total residence.

The EPA says it’s important to know that air purifiers can’t eliminate every contaminant from your house’s air. But when used along with an enhanced filter for your HVAC system, they can greatly reduce the concentration of indoor air pollution.

4 Benefits of an Air Purifier

Installing an air purifier in your home can offer a lot of great health perks. Here are several of them.

1. Decreases Allergy and Asthma Triggers

Air purifiers reduce contaminants in your home, such as some of these common triggers:

  • Dust
  • Pollen
  • Mold
  • Volatile organic compounds, including cleaners, air fresheners and personal care products

2. Lowers Other Problems Linked to Poor Indoor Air Quality

Even if you or someone in your household doesn’t struggle with allergies or asthma, an air purifier can reduce other troubles related to poor indoor air quality. These involve:

  • Scratchy throat, eyes, nose or skin
  • Headaches
  • Sneezing and coughing
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea

It can be hard to determine troubles related to indoor air quality, because they can be caused by a lot of other illnesses. However, if you’re noticing that you feel better after you leave home, your indoor air quality is probably causing the issue.

3. Removes Odors

Odors that hang around, like cigarette smoke or cooking smells, can be tough to remove. If you are having a hard time with getting rid of strong smells in your house, we advise buying an air purifier with a charcoal or activated carbon filter.

4. Can Decrease Your Chance of Becoming Sick

An air purifier can eliminate some bacteria and viruses under certain airflow conditions, keeping you and your loved ones in good health especially during cold months. To get complete advantage of this perk, our professionals advise a UV air purifier. Disinfecting ultraviolet light provides an added layer of safeguard against airborne pathogens.

Air Purifiers to Avoid

You’re better off without select air purifiers. Here are a couple of options to avoid when selecting a system for your home:

  • Creates ozone. Some air purifiers produce ozone, which can bother your lungs. The EPA suggests staying away from ozone air purifiers.
  • Doesn’t use HEPA filters. For the best results, you’ll want a HEPA air purifier. Considered the gold standard for healthy air, HEPA filters are used in most healthcare settings, including hospitals.
  • Only purifies an individual room. We suggest using a whole-house air purifier, which purifies the air in every room. This option works with your heating and cooling system.

When you work with the indoor air quality professionals at Pliescott HVAC Services LLC, we make it uncomplicated to buy the best air purifier for your house. Reach us at 410-228-4822 to start breathing healthier air today!